Once again Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington met with reporters prior to Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Reds to discuss his team's struggles and answer questions regarding the remainder of the season. Below is an edited transcript. On Josh Harrison: “This is not going to be day-to-day. We’ll have to see how he responds in 24-48 hours and determine what other diagnostics need to be explored if he is not feeling better.” Neftali Feliz/A.J. Schugel progress: “They’re ... Read More
Neal Huntington talks Nova, playoffs, Cole and more
Neal Huntington met with reporters prior to Sunday's Pittsburgh Pirates game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Here are some highlights of said press conference. On Neftali Feliz: "Feliz feels better today. It’s more muscular than connective tissue. That is our read right now. On Jake Brentz and Pedro Vasquez, the relievers the Pirates picked up in Caminero trade: “We had a list of players we agreed to when we traded Caminero there. We tracked them with multiple scouts and took different ... Read More
Pirates relief spotty in 7-4 loss to Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Orlando Arcia entered Saturday night's game a .184 hitter but left PNC Park having recorded three hits that helped give the Brewers a 7-4 series clinching victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Arcia ended up a home run shy of the cycle. On the Pirates end, they got Brewers starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson to walk a season-high six batters and allow four hits while elevating his pitch count to 99 pitches over 5.1. Despite this, the Pirates scored one run off ... Read More
Pirates bested by Cubs in 13th inning
The Pittsburgh Pirates had the opportunities to extend their road win streak to nine games, but they fell 8-7 to the Chicago Cubs in 13 innings. It was a case of the Pirates running out of bullpen arms, and reliever Jeff Locke (9-8, 5.39 ERA) threw his highest pitch total since Aug. 3 as a result. Locke threw three innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. Eventually, Locke seemed to tire, and he didn't record a single out in the 13th inning before Chicago's Miguel Montero recorded the ... Read More
Pirates tie season best comeback in win
A simple look at the Miller Park scoreboard Saturday night after three innings couldn't have been encouraging for Pittsburgh Pirates fans. The Pirates trailed the Milwaukee Brewers by three runs. But the Pirates were able to come back, putting up crooked numbers in both the fourth and sixth innings to come away with a series-clinching 9-6 victory. Pittsburgh starting pitcher Jameson Taillon made his shortest career major league outing, three innings, after allowing five runs on seven ... Read More
Sixth inning keys Pirates’ 5-3 win vs. Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer turns 30 Saturday, and he decided to give himself an early birthday present: a grand slam, which came in the six inning off Milwaukee Brewers starter Matt Garza. It was Mercer's 10th homer of the season. Mercer's blast helped the Pirates (65-61) secure a 5-3 victory over the Brewers. Garza (4-6, 4.89 ERA) had Mercer in an 0-2 count before the grand slam. This season, Alex Dickerson, Seth Smith and Adam Eaton are the only other Major League players ... Read More
Pirates end Miller Park skid in extra innings
Andrew McCutchen provided all of the offense the Pittsburgh Pirates needed in a 10-inning 3-2 road victory against the Milwaukee Brewers Friday night. This win snapped a nine-game losing streak dating back to July 17, 2015 for the Pirates at Miller Park. Miller Park has not been friendly to the Pirates, who are 41-88 at a place which can be called unfriendly confines. McCutchen started with a first-inning solo home run on a two-out, 3-2 slider over the left field wall. This home run, ... Read More
Back-and-forth game vs. Marlins doesn’t end Pirates’ way
Reliever Felipe Rivero hadn't allowed a run in 8.2 innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates (62-57), but that all changed Friday night. Up 5-3 heading into eighth inning, Rivero gave up a home run to the Miami Marlins' Miguel Rojas and a game-tying RBI single to Christian Yelich. An inning later, Robert Andino hit an RBI single off Pittsburgh reliever Neftali Feliz that proved to be the game-winning run. The Marlins (63-59) won the game, 6-5. It was a back-and-forth game, one the Pirates were ... Read More
Nova’s performance, Kang’s catch secure Pirates win
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Neftali Feliz was in a jam when he allowed the first two Cincinnati Reds to reach base with Billy Hamilton at the plate. Hamilton hit a ball on a short hop that Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang quickly fielded. He got the out at third base and threw to Josh Harrison to get the out at second base. Kang did not have any chance to react until the 88 mph hit bounced into his glove but he quickly formulated a game plan. "I was thinking of throwing the ball ... Read More
Sean Rodriguez’s home run leads Pirates to victory
It was a short night for Cincinnati Reds pitcher Ross Ohlendorf. At PNC Park, Ohlendorf's outing Friday night lasted all of four pitches — on a mound that previously served as home. This time, though, it wasn't so kind. The Pittsburgh Pirates' Sean Rodriguez led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a game-winning home run on a 2-1 fastball to secure the 3-2 victory over the Reds (44-64). Pittsburgh is now 54-53 on the season. The homer was Rodriguez's 11th of the season, and he's now ... Read More